Tape application device

ABSTRACT

A tape application device according to the present invention is provided with a first presser roller  16 , a second presser roller  19  capable of being re-positioned at a position downstream from the first presser roller as seen in the applying direction of an adhesive tape, a second guide roller  27  rotatable about an axis transverse to rotary axes of a pair of first guide rollers disposed in parallel to the first and second presser rollers  16, 19  and rotary axes of the first and second presser rollers  16, 19 , a third guide roller  29  capable of being repositioned in an offset state at an upstream position in the applying direction of the adhesive tape, a tape guide plate  34  pivoted at a proximal end thereof, and holding elements  37, 38  for defining a rotational position of the tape guide plate  34 , whereby the adhesive tape can be easily, quickly and accurately applied to a predetermined position in either of a right or left door sash.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a tape application device for applyinga strip-like adhesive tape released from a release paper along atape-applying surface of a workpiece on which the adhesive tape is to beapplied.

BACKGROUND ART

It is desirable to color inner and outer sides of a door sash of anautomotive vehicle with matte black because a light reflection from thedoor sash is minimized when viewed from the outside the vehicle,particularly from a lateral side of a vehicle body, which results in theneat appearance of not only a vehicle cabin but also the entirety of thevehicle body.

Thus, the spray painting of matte black paint to a door sash hasconventionally been carried out. The spray painting, however, isproblematic in that incidental facilities for maintaining a workingenvironment in a favorable condition is expensive and a longer time isnecessary for drying the paint. To eliminate such problems, the use ofmatte black adhesive tape resistant to weather and wear is proposed, forexample, in Japanese Patent Application Laying-open Nos. 51-135015(1976) and 62-46780 (1987), which is applied to the door sash instead ofthe spray painting of paint. In this case, since the vehicle door sashis primarily constituted by three-dimensional curvatures as iswell-known, a device for carrying out the above-mentioned attachment ofthe adhesive tape would become extremely large and elaborate, which willrise an installation cost of a production line if such the device wereactually incorporated thereinto. Also, the device is poor inadaptability to the design change of the door sash and lacks ageneral-purpose property.

When this applying operation is manually carried out by the operator ina vehicle production line without using any jigs, an extremely highlevel of operational skill will be required for accurately performingthe operation at a speed in correspondence to that of the vehicleproduction line. Another tape application device is proposed, forexample, in Japanese Patent Application Laying-open No. 5-338627 (1993),which allows the operator with ordinary skill to easily and quicklyperform the above-mentioned operation. By using this tape applicationdevice, it is possible to easily and quickly apply the adhesive tape ata predetermined position on the door sash in a precise manner even by anordinary operator not highly skill in the art.

Also, it is deemed that a device for automatically incorporating aweather strip into a door sash may be usable, which is disclosed, forexample, in Japanese Patent Application Laying-open Nos. 2-221582 (1990)and 3-166068 (1991) and Japanese Patent Application Publication No.5-65298 (1993).

A further tape application device disclosed in Japanese PatentApplication Laying-open No. 5-338627 (1993) is adapted for either aright-hand or left-hand specification in correspondence to right andleft doors of a vehicle, respectively. Therefore, in a sedan typepassenger vehicle with four doors, it is necessary to use four kinds oftape application devices in correspondence to front and rear doors onthe right and left sides, which is very troublesome. In addition, thisdevice is complicated in structure, resulting in the inconvenience inthat the number of parts becomes large and the production costincreases.

If the weather strip attachment device disclosed, for example, inJapanese Patent Application Laying-open Nos. 2-221582 (1990) and3-166068 (1991) and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-65298(1993) is used as a tape application device, a problem may occur in thata space is necessary for installing a manipulator in addition to devicesfor holding and positioning the door panel, which requires a change invehicle production line.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a tape applicationdevice at a lower cost, which allows an ordinary operator not highlyskill in the art to quickly and accurately attach an adhesive tape at apredetermined position either on a right door sash or on a left doorsash.

A tape application device according to the present invention isdetachably mounted to a workpiece, for applying an adhesive tapereleased from a release paper onto a tape applying surface provided onthe workpiece, comprises

a main body,

a sub body spaced from the main body,

a first presser roller rotatably supported between the main body and thesub body, so that the adhesive tape is wrapped therearound,

a second presser roller disposed in parallel to the first presser rollerand capable of being re-positioned relative to the main body and the subbody to be located downstream from the first presser roller as seen inthe applying direction of the adhesive tape,

a first guide roller mounted to the main body to be rotatable about anaxis generally parallel to rotary axes of the first and second presserrollers,

a second guide roller mounted to the main body to be rotatable about anaxis transverse to the rotary axis of the first guide roller and therotary axes of the first and second presser rollers, for holding themain body in association with the first guide roller to be movable alongthe tape applying surface while being engaged therewith so that thefirst and second guide rollers roll on the tape applying surface whilebeing pressed thereon,

a third guide roller disposed in parallel to the second guide roller,for holding the main body in association with the second guide rollerand the first guide roller to be movable along the tape applying surfacewhile being engaged therewith so that the first and second presserrollers roll on the tape applying surface while being pressed thereon,and capable of being re-positioned relative to the main body to bedisposed in an offset state upstream in the applying direction of theadhesive tape with respect to the first presser roller,

a tape guide plate pivoted at a proximal end thereof to the sub body tobe rotatable about an axis vertical to the rotary axes of the first andsecond presser rollers and the second and third guide rollers, and

holding means disposed between a distal end of the tape guide plate andthe main body, for holding the tape guide plate so that a gap forguiding the adhesive tape-cum-release paper is formed on a side oppositeto the second guide roller relative to the presser roller in a mannersuch that the presser roller is positioned between the second guideroller and the gap.

In the tape application device of the present invention, after a tip endof the adhesive tape has been applied to the predetermined position ofthe tape applying surface on the workpiece, the main body is engagedwith the workpiece by the first to third guide rollers so that theadhesive tape is pressed onto the tape applying surface by the first andsecond presser roller. And, after the adhesive tape has been wrappedaround the first presser roller and transferred to the second presserroller, the tape guide plate is stationary relative to the main body bythe holding means to define the gap between the presser rollers and thetape guide plate so that the adhesive tape-cum-release paper is locatedtherein. When the main body moves from this state along the tapeapplying surface, the adhesive tape released from the release paper ispressed onto the tape applying surface by means of the first and secondpresser rollers and applied thereto.

According to the tape application device of the present invention, sincethe second presser roller and the third guide roller can bere-positioned in accordance with the applying directions of the adhesivetape, it is possible to apply this device to, for example, a workpieceof either a left-hand or right-hand specification. Also, since thisdevice is simple in structure, it can be produced at a lower cost. Sincethe third guide roller is disposed in an offset state at a positionupstream in the applying direction of the adhesive tape with respect tothe first presser roller, the moving direction of the tape applicationdevice is easily controlled along the workpiece so that the tapeapplication device is always tightly engaged with the workpiece withoutlooseness. As a result, it is possible to accurately apply the adhesivetape onto the tape-applying surface of the workpiece even by anon-skilled operator. Particularly, since the first and second presserrollers and the first and second guide rollers roll on the workpieceduring the movement of the tape application device along the workpiece,there is less frictional resistance against the movement of the tapeapplication device relative to the workpiece, whereby the tape-adhesionoperation can be performed with a smaller force without any damage onthe surface of the adhesive tape due to the friction.

In the tape application device according to the present invention, twopositions may be defined for mounting the second presser roller in themain body and the sub body so that the second presser roller is mountedto either one of the two positions. In such a case, the first presserroller may be disposed between the two positions for mounting the secondpresser member.

The repositioning of the second presser roller may be carried out by thedetachment/attachment of the second presser roller relative to the mainbody and the sub body.

Alternatively, the re-positioning of the second presser roller may becarried out by the rotary motion of the second presser roller about arotary axis of the first presser roller. In such a case, the device mayfurther include a pivot for coupling the main body with the sub body andpassing through the first presser member to rotatably support thelatter, and a rotary arm rotatably connected at a proximal end thereofwith the pivot and carrying the second presser member at a tip end ofthereof in a rotatable manner. In such a case, the device may furtherincludes two sets of stoppers provided in at least one of the main bodyand the sub body for defining two rotational positions of the rotary armrelative to the pivot. Thus, it is possible to quickly carry out there-positioning of the second presser roller and facilitate the operationto a great extent.

Two positions may be defined for mounting the third guide roller in themain body so that the third guide roller is mounted to either one of thetwo positions. In such a case, the second guide roller may be disposedbetween the two positions for mounting the third guide rollers. Also,the re-positioning of the third guide roller may be carried out by thedetachment/attachment of the third guide roller relative to the mainbody.

The device may further include ribs provided in the tape guide plate,projected into the gap at positions on opposite sides of the firstpresser roller as seen in the rotational direction thereof. In such acase, one of the ribs may project between the first and second presserrollers.

An outer circumferential surface of the first and second presser rollersmay be formed of elastomeric material. In such a case, the adhesive tapecan be evenly applied to the tape-applying surface without involvementof air.

The device may have a plurality of second guide rollers.

The holding means may be one using magnetic force. In such a case, theholding means becomes compact in size and is capable of quickly andeasily carrying out the opening/closing operation of the tape guideplate.

The above and other objects, effects, features, and advantages of thepresent invention will become more apparent from the followingdescription of embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of one embodiment ofa tape application device according to the present invention, which isapplicable to a door outer sash for a passenger vehicle;

FIG. 2 is a partially sectional side view of the embodiment shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2, showing an internalstructure of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along a line IV—IV in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the tape application device shown inFIG. 1, which is coupled to the door outer sash;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a schematic structure of anotherembodiment of a tape application device according to the presentinvention; and

FIG. 7 is a partially sectional front view of a primary portion of theembodiment shown in FIG. 6.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

A tape application device according to the present invention will bedescribed in detail below with reference to FIGS. 1 through 7illustrating embodiments applied to a front door outer sash or a reardoor outer sash of a passenger vehicle. The present invention, however,should not be limited to these embodiments, and includes the combinationthereof or the application to other technical field involved in similarproblems.

FIG. 1 illustrates an appearance of an embodiment in which a tapeguiding plate is open; FIG. 2 illustrates a side appearance thereof;FIG. 3 illustrates a sectional shape thereof; FIG. 4 illustrates asectional shape taken along a line IV—IV; and FIG. 5 illustrates anappearance of the tape application device according to this embodimentcoupled to a front door outer sash or a rear door outer sash(hereinafter merely referred to as a door outer sash) used as aworkpiece.

Three sets of bolt-through holes 13 a, 13 b and 13 c are provided at apredetermined interval in a presser roller bracket 11 and a sub body 12constituting part of a main body 10. A roller supporting connecting bolt14 is inserted into middle ones 13 b of the bolt-through holes in thepresser roller bracket 11 and the sub body 12. The roller supportingconnecting bolt 14 passes through an additional presser roller (a firstpresser roller) 16 on the outer circumference of which is covered withan elastomeric material 15 to hold the same in a rotatable manner. Thepresser roller bracket 11 and the sub body 12 are fastened together bylock nuts 17 screw-engaged with opposite ends of the bolt whileinterposing the roller supporting connecting bolt 14 and the additionalpresser roller 16 between the both. It is necessary to properly match adistance between the presser roller bracket 11 and the sub body 12 witha length of the additional presser roller 16 and a width of an adhesivetape A. For this purpose, a middle portion of the roller supportingconnecting bolt 14; i.e., a portion to be fit into the additionalpresser roller 16; has an outer diameter larger than an inner diameterof the bolt-through hole 13 b to define shoulders at opposite endsthereof, whereby the distance between the presser roller bracket 11 andthe sub body 12 generally corresponds to a length of the larger diameterportion.

As described later, the additional presser roller 16 operates to releasea release paper B from an adhesive tape A by wrapping the adhesive tapeA therearound. In view of favorably keeping the releasability of theadhesive tape A from the release paper B, an outer diameter of theadditional presser roller 15 is preferably as small as possible.

Another presser roller supporting connecting bolt 14 is inserted intoone bolt-through hole 13 c, provided in the presser roller bracket 11and the sub body 12, of the remaining two bolt-through holes 13 a, 13 c,located downstream of the additional presser roller 16 as seen in theapplying direction of the adhesive tape A. This roller supportingconnecting bolt 14 passes through a main presser roller (a secondpresser roller) 19 on the outer circumference of which is covered withan elastomeric material 15 to hold the same in a rotatable manner. Thepresser roller bracket 11 and the sub body 12 are fastened together bylock nuts 17 screw-engaged with opposite ends of the bolt whileinterposing the roller supporting connecting bolt 14 and the mainpresser roller 19 between the both. The main presser roller 19 hassubstantially the same basic structure as that of the additional presserroller 16, except that the outer diameter thereof is somewhat largerthan that of the additional presser roller 16. Accordingly, a pressingforce becomes larger against a tape applying surface 21 of a door outersash 20 in comparison with the additional presser roller 16, whichallows the adhesive tape A to be assuredly brought into tight contactwith the tape applying surface 21 of the door outer sash 20 even thoughthe tape applying surface 21 of the door outer sash 20 is somewhatcurved in the direction opposing the additional presser roller 16 andthe main presser roller 19.

As stated later, in the use of this tape application device 1, theadhesive tape A is wrapped half around the additional presser roller 16and the main presser roller 19 so that an adhesive surface is directedoutward. Contrarily, the release paper B holding the adhesive tape A iswithdrawn from the tape application device 1 along the door outer sash20.

A guide roller bracket 23 constituting part of the main body 10 isfixedly secured to the presser roller bracket 11 via connecting screws24. A flexible pressing plate 25 is gripped between the guide rollerbracket 23 and the presser roller bracket 11, for nipping a panel memberdefining the tape applying surface 21 of the door outer sash 20 inassociation with the additional presser roller 16 and the main presserroller 19. A pair of first guide rollers 26 capable of being in contactwith lateral inner sides opposite to the tape applying surface 21 and aplurality of (three in the illustrated embodiment) second guide rollers27 engageable with a weather strip attachment section are mounted to theguide roller bracket 23 in a rotatable manner.

Additional brackets 28 a, 28 c are provided on the opposite sides of theguide roller bracket 23, respectively, along the arrangement directionof the second guide rollers 27. Threaded holes 30 are formed in theadditional brackets 28 a, 28 c, respectively, for mounting third guiderollers 29 arranged in parallel to the second guide rollers 27. Thethird guide roller 29 is attached in a replaceable manner by a fasteningscrew 31 to the threaded hole 30 in the additional bracket 28 a locatedupstream in the applying direction of the adhesive tape A.

Each of the guide rollers 26, 27, 29 is formed of a resinous polymericmaterial and has a bearing 32 (see FIG. 3) to minimize the rotationalwear due to the displacement of the tape application device 1 relativeto the door outer sash 20. In the present embodiment, the presser rollerbracket 11, the guide roller bracket 23 and the additional brackets 28a, 28 c constitute the main body 10 (see FIG. 4).

A rotary axis of the first guide roller 26 is defined generally parallelto rotary axes of the additional presser roller 16 and the main presserroller 19. A rotary axis of the second guide roller 27 is definedgenerally vertical to the rotary axes of the first guide roller 26, theadditional presser roller 16 and the main presser roller 19. However, itis possible to appropriately change such a layout in accordance withshapes of the door outer sash 20. Alternatively, when the width and/orthe shape of the door outer sash 20 are variable due to the differenceof vehicle types or others, the first guide roller 26 and the secondguide roller 27 may be replaced with those having different shapesand/or sizes so that the versatility of the device is maintained to someextent.

According to this embodiment, when the tape application device 1 is setto the door outer sash 20 in a proper state as shown in FIG. 2, the doorouter sash 20 is nipped between the additional presser roller 16, themain presser roller 19 and the first guide rollers 26, and the panelmember defining the tape applying surface 21 of the door outer sash 20is nipped between the additional presser roller 16, the main presserroller 19 and the pressing plate 25 so that the additional presserroller 16 and the main presser roller 19 are forced against the tapeapplying surface 21.

A pivot pin 33 disposed vertically to the roller supporting connectingbolt 14 and generally in parallel to the tape applying surface 21 isrotatably supported at opposite ends thereof on the sub body 12. A tapeguide plate 34 fixed to the pivot pin 33 passing through a proximal endthereof is rotatable relative to the sub body 12 about the pivot pin 33between an open position shown in FIG. 1 and a closed position shown inFIG. 2. The tape guide plate 34 is disposed opposite to the second guideroller 27 while interposing the additional presser roller 16 and themain presser roller 19 between the both. At the closed position, a gap35 is formed between the tape guide plate 34 and the pair of additionaland main presser rollers 16, 19, for allowing an adhesivetape-cum-release paper C to pass therethrough. When the tape applicationdevice 1 is properly set to the door outer sash 20 as shown in FIG. 2,the tape guide plate 34 is located generally in parallel to the tapeapplying surface 21.

A pair of ribs 36 a and 36 c are provided on the tape guide plate 34 toproject into the gap 35 at positions on the opposite sides of theadditional presser roller 16 as seen in the rotational directionthereof, when the tape guide plate 34 is at the closed position. Sinceone rib 36 c is positioned between the additional presser roller 16 andthe main presser roller 19, it is possible to impart a suitable tensionto the adhesive tape A.

To keep the tape guide plate 34 at the closed position, a permanentmagnet 37 is embedded in a distal end portion of the tape guide plate 34(see FIG. 3). A mild steel plate 38 is embedded in the presser rollerbracket 11 opposite to the tape guide plate 34 so that a holding meansaccording to the present invention is formed of the permanent magnet 37and the mild steel plate 38. Attraction operated between the both due tomagnetic force is preferably to such an extent that the operator couldeasily separate the one from the other. Instead of using the magneticforce as in this embodiment, other means may, of course, be adopted asmeans for holding the tape guide plate 34 at the closed position.

In the actual operation, the mounting position of the main presserroller 19 and the third guide roller 29 is changed in accordance withthe moving directions of the tape application device 1 relative to thetape applying surface 21 of the door outer sash 20. For example, in astate shown in FIG. 5, if the tape application device 1 moves towardthis side as seen in the drawing (in the arrowed direction F in FIG. 5)relative to the tape applying surface 21 of the door outer sash 20, theabove-mentioned layout could be adopted as it is. Contrarily, if it isnecessary to move the device in the reverse direction, the lock nuts 17(see FIG. 3) are unfastened from the roller supporting connecting bolt14 to remove the latter and the main presser roller 19 from the presserroller bracket 11 and the sub body 12, then, the roller supportingconnecting bolt 14 carrying the main presser roller 19 thereon isinserted into the non-used bolt-through holes 13 a and thereafter,fastened again by the lock nuts 17. At the same time, the fasteningscrew 31 is removed, together with the third guide roller 29 (see FIG.4), from the additional bracket 28 a carrying the third guide roller 29,and mounted to the other additional bracket 28 c on which no third guideroller 29 has been carried.

After a tip end of the release paper B is released from the adhesivetape-cum-release paper C, a tip end of the adhesive tape A is applied toa predetermined position in a flat portion of the tape applying surface21 of the door outer sash 20 (generally referred to as anapplication-start position). Thereafter, the tape guide plate 34 of thetape application device 1 re-positioned to a proper position in advanceas described before is made open as shown in FIG. 1, and the first guideroller 26 and the second guide roller 27 are engaged with the door outersash 20 so that the additional presser roller 16 and the main presserroller 19 press the tip end of the adhesive tape A onto the tapeapplying surface 21.

Then, the adhesive tape A is wrapped half around the additional presserroller 16 and the release paper B is made to extend generally inparallel to the tape applying surface 21 while pressing the additionalpresser roller 16 and the main presser roller 19. And the tape guideplate 34 is fixed to the closed position as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5.

In this case, according to the present invention, since the pivot pin 33is attached to the sub body 12 so that the tape guide plate 34 issuspended downward from the sub body 12 to keep the open position, it isunnecessary for the operator to hold the tape guide plate 34 at the openposition when the adhesive tape A is wrapped around the additionalpresser roller 16 and the main presser roller 19. Thereby, it ispossible to favorably maintain the above-mentioned operability.

From this state, the operator moves the tape application device 1leftward as seen in FIG. 5 along the tape applying surface 21 whilereleasing the adhesive tape A from the adhesive tape-cum-release paperC. The adhesive tape A is pressed onto the tape applying surface 21 withthe aid of the elastic deformation of the additional presser roller 16and the main presser roller 19, while restricting the deviation thereoffrom the tape applying surface 21 by the gap 35, to be smoothly appliedto the tape applying surface 21. At the same time, the used releasepaper B is being pushed out forward in the moving direction of the tapeapplication device 1.

In this case, since an outer diameter of the additional presser roller16 is limited to an allowable minimum value in this embodiment, theadhesive tape A is assuredly releasable from the release paper B. Inaddition, since an outer diameter of the main presser roller 19 isselected to be larger than that of the additional presser roller 16, theadhesive tape A is temporarily applied to the tape applying surface 21with the additional presser roller 16 while being accurately positionedrelative to the tape applying surface 21, and then firmly and assuredlypressed onto the tape applying surface 21.

If the positions of the bolt-through holes 13 a, 13 c for the rollersupporting connecting bolt 14, by which the main presser roller 19attached, are provided closer to the tape applying surface 21 of thedoor outer sash 20 than that of the bolt-through hole 13 b for theadditional presser roller 16, the same effect as described above will beobtained even though the outer diameter of the main presser roller 19 issmaller than that of the additional presser roller 16.

The main body 10 engages with the door outer sash 20 without loosenessin conformity therewith by means of the first guide rollers 26, thesecond guide rollers 27.and the third guide roller 29. Since these guiderollers 26, 27 and 29 are formed of material with a low frictionalcoefficient, the frictional resistance becomes small when the tapeapplication device 1 moves along the tape applying surface 21 of thedoor outer sash 20 to facilitate the applying operation. Since the thirdguide roller 29 exists, the moving direction of the tape applicationdevice 1 is easily controlled to conform with the tape applying surface21, which enhances the operability of the tape application device 1during the displacement.

After the adhesive tape A has been applied to the tape applying surface21 of the door outer sash 20 in such a manner, the tape applicationdevice 1 is detached from the tape applying surface 21 of the door outersash 20, and widthwise opposite edges of the adhesive tape A are appliedto the remaining part of the door outer sash 20 by using a squeezingdevice not shown. Since the adhesive tape A has already been accuratelypositioned relative to the door outer sash 20 in this stage, theoperation can be carried out with no problems.

Although the main presser roller 19 is re-positioned by unfastening thelock nuts 17 in the above embodiment, it is possible to adopt amechanism for re-positioning the main presser roller 19 in a one-touchmanner.

FIG. 6 shows an appearance of other embodiment of such a tapeapplication device according to the present invention and FIG. 7 shows apartially sectional view of a primary portion thereof. In this regard,the same reference numerals are used for denoting elements having thesame function as those in the preceding embodiment, and the explanationthereof will be eliminated. A pair of rotary arms 39 are pivoted atproximal ends thereof to a roller supporting connecting bolt 14 atpositions between one of longitudinal opposite ends of the additionalpresser roller 16, and between the other end and the sub body 12. Themain presser roller 19 is rotatably fitted to a pin 40 coupled atopposite ends thereof to a distal ends of the pair of rotary arms 39.

To restrict the position of the main presser roller 19 via the rotaryarms 39, two sets of ball plungers 42 a, 42 c, each incorporating a ball41 capable of being in or out due to the elastic force, are embedded inthe presser roller bracket 11 and the sub body 12, respectively. Theball 41 at the tip end of the ball plunger 42 a or 42 c is biased topartially project above a surface of the presser roller bracket 11 orthe sub body 12. In correspondence to these ball plungers 42 a, 42 c, apair of recesses 43 are provided in the rotary arms 39, respectively, tobe engageable with the balls 41 at the tip end of the ball plungers 42a, 42 c.

These two ball plungers 42 a, 42 c and the pair of recesses 43 functionas two stoppers according to the present invention. That is, if it isnecessary to reposition the main presser roller 19, the main presserroller 19 is made to rotate together with the rotary arms 39 from astage shown in FIG. 7, about the roller supporting connecting bolt 14 by180 degrees to engage a tip end of the other ball plunger 42 a with therecess 43 of the rotary arm 39. Thus, the re-positioning of the mainpresser roller 19 is easily and quickly achievable.

Although the position of the third guide roller 29 is changed relativeto the pair of additional brackets 28 a, 28 c in the above-mentioned twoembodiments, it may be possible to shift the entirety of the secondguide roller 29 and the third guide rollers 27 in the arrangementdirection thereof when the applying direction of the adhesive tape A isreversed. In summary, any structure may be adopted to carry out there-positioning of the respective rollers 19, 29.

The present invention has been described in detail with respect tovarious embodiments, and it will now be apparent from the foregoing tothose skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be madewithout departing from the invention in its broader aspects, and it isthe intention, therefore, in the appended claims to cover all suchchanges and modifications as fall within the true spirit of theinvention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The tape application device according to the present invention iscapable of easily and quickly carry out the operation for applying astrip-like adhesive tape while releasing a release paper therefrom to adoor outer sash of a vehicle or others.

What is claimed is:
 1. A tape application device detachably mounted to aworkpiece, for applying an adhesive tape released from a release paperonto a tape applying surface provided on the workpiece, comprising amain body; a sub body spaced from the main body; a first presser rollerrotatably supported between the main body and the sub body, so that theadhesive tape is wrapped therearound; a second presser roller disposedin parallel to the first presser roller and capable of beingre-positioned relative to the main body and the sub body to be locateddownstream from the first presser roller as seen in the applyingdirection of the adhesive tape; a first guide roller mounted to the mainbody to be rotatable about an axis generally parallel to rotary axes ofthe first and second presser rollers; a second guide roller mounted tothe main body to be rotatable about an axis transverse to the rotaryaxis of the first guide roller and the rotary axes of the first andsecond presser rollers, for holding the main body in association withthe first guide roller to be movable along the tape applying surfacewhile being engaged therewith so that the first and second guide rollersroll on the tape applying surface while being pressed thereon; a thirdguide roller disposed in parallel to the second guide roller, forholding the main body in association with the second guide roller andthe first guide roller to be movable along the tape applying surfacewhile being engaged therewith so that the first and second presserrollers roll on the tape applying surface while being pressed thereon,and capable of being re-positioned relative to the main body to bedisposed in an offset state upstream in the applying direction of theadhesive tape with respect to the first presser roller; a tape guideplate pivoted at a proximal end thereof to the sub body to be rotatableabout an axis vertical to the rotary axes of the first and secondpresser rollers and the second and third guide rollers; and holdingmeans disposed between a distal end of the tape guide plate and the mainbody, for holding the tape guide plate so that a gap for guiding theadhesive tape-cum-release paper is formed on a side opposite to thesecond guide roller relative to the presser roller in a manner such thatthe presser roller is positioned between the second guide roller and thegap.
 2. A tape application device as claimed in claim 1, wherein twopositions are defined for mounting the second presser roller in the mainbody and the sub body so that the second presser roller is mounted toeither one of the two positions.
 3. A tape application device as claimedin claim 2, wherein the first presser roller is disposed between the twopositions for mounting the second presser member.
 4. A tape applicationdevice as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein there-positioning of the second presser roller is carried out by thedetachment/attachment of the second presser roller relative to the mainbody and the sub body.
 5. A tape application device as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 3, wherein the re-positioning of the second presserroller is carried out by the rotary motion of the second presser rollerabout a rotary axis of the first presser roller.
 6. A tape applicationdevice as claimed in claim 5, wherein the device further comprises apivot for coupling the main body with the sub body and a rotary armrotatably connected at a proximal end thereof with the pivot; the pivotpassing through the first presser member to rotatably support thelatter, and the second presser member being rotatably mounted to a tipend of the rotary arm.
 7. A tape application device as claimed in claim6, wherein the device further comprises two sets of stoppers provided inat least one of the main body and the sub body for defining tworotational positions of the rotary arm relative to the pivot.
 8. A tapeapplication device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein twopositions are defined for mounting the third guide roller in the mainbody so that the third guide roller is mounted to either one of the twopositions.
 9. A tape application device as claimed in claim 8, whereinthe second guide roller is disposed between the two positions formounting the third guide rollers.
 10. A tape application device asclaimed in claim 8, wherein the repositioning of the third guide rolleris carried out by the detachment/attachment of the third guide rollerrelative to the main body.
 11. A tape application device as claimed inany one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the device further comprises ribsprovided in the tape guide plate, projected into the gap at positions onopposite sides of the first presser roller as seen in the rotationaldirection thereof.
 12. A tape application device as claimed in claim 11,wherein one of the ribs projects between the first and second presserrollers.
 13. A tape application device as claimed in any one of claims 1to 3, wherein an outer circumferential surface of the first and secondpresser rollers is formed of elastomeric material.
 14. A tapeapplication device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein thedevice has a plurality of second guide rollers.
 15. A tape applicationdevice as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the holding meansis one using magnetic force.